Honey Select

Family: Poaceae Grain Vegetable

Honey Select bursts with a sun-warmed sweetness and a tender, milky bite that feels almost velvet on the tongue.

The bicolor kernels—golden honey and creamy white—stack in tight rows on sturdy ears, delivering rich flavor whether you savor them at peak freshness or let their natural sugars shine in roasts and grill favorites. Grow Honey Select for a dependable 70-day harvest and a garden-to-table experience that’s as bright in color as it is in taste.

Light: Full SunMaturity: 70 DaysHabit: Upright

Planting schedules and alerts are optimized for Columbus (Zone 6b).

Crop Dates

Milestone	Date
Start Indoors	Direct Sow
Last Frost	Apr 25th
Transplant / Sow Outdoors	Apr 25th
Harvest Begins	Jul 4th
Harvest Ends	Oct 16th

Crop Details

Trait	Value
Days to Maturity	70
Sun Requirements	Full Sun
Growth Habit	Upright
Support Needed	None
Planting Depth	Normal
Germination Temp (°F)	60
Min Soil Temp (°F)	60
Min Night Temp (°F)	40
Harden Off (days)	Not Required

Culinary Notes

Chef's Note

Honey Select’s hallmark is that velvet, milky kernel—high sweetness with a tender snap—so it shines when you keep cooking fast and heat it just enough to coax out sugar and aromatics. Treat it like a starring ingredient: butter, lime, and a little smoke or cheese let the bicolor sweetness read clean instead of getting lost in heavy seasoning.

Best Uses

shucked-and-griddled corn with salt and a squeeze of lime
quick steam/boil then butter-melted, no-fuss eating
roasted kernels folded into quesadillas or corn fritter batter
grilled corn for char plus natural sugar sheen

Flavor Profile

sun-warmed sweetness tender, milky kernel bite creamy corn aromatics with a gentle grassy finish snappy-to-creamy texture that stays juicy

Kitchen Pairings

lime cilantro butter smoked paprika chili powder cotija cheese

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the most common disease problem in sweet corn (Zea mays var. saccharata), and how do I manage it?

Corn smut and gray leaf spot are frequent issues in sweet corn, especially when leaves stay wet and airflow is poor. Remove infected plants early, avoid overhead watering, and water at the soil line; thin/space plants to improve airflow. If gray leaf spot is recurring, rotate away from corn/other grasses next season and mulch to reduce splash during rains.

How often should I water sweet corn during the main growing phase?

From when tassels begin to form through ear fill (roughly weeks 6–10), keep the soil evenly moist with about 1–1.5 inches of water per week, adjusting for heat and wind. Water deeply 1–2 times weekly rather than frequent light sprinkling, and aim to keep the root zone from drying out. Once the ears are well-developed, reduce slightly but don’t let the soil dry completely, since drought during ear fill lowers kernel sweetness.

How can I tell when honey-select sweet corn is ready to harvest?

Harvest when the silks turn brown and feel dry, but before kernels get dented and starchy. Press a kernel with your thumbnail—if it releases milky juice, it’s at peak sweetness; if only clear fluid or a firm “paste” appears, it’s past prime. Sweet corn is best picked the day of eating, ideally within a few hours of harvest.